German Catholics call for reform, many leaving http://cathnews.co.nz/2011/06/03/german-catholics-call-for-reform-many-leaving/

For the salvation of disaffected souls, for those who have turned away from the most Holy Eucharist, in sorrow we turn to you, O Lord, and ask that you heal their hearts. We offer our sorrows and our faith in your power to bring them back to the Truth, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for the salvation of all men, especially those who have turned away from the Holy Catholic Church that you established, who are so ungrateful for the great gift you have bestowed on us: your own self in the Most Holy Eucharist.

For the salvation of disaffected souls, for those who have turned away from the most Holy Eucharist, in sorrow we turn to you, O Lord, and ask that you heal their hearts. We offer our sorrows and our faith in your power to bring them back to the Truth, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for the salvation of all men, especially those who have turned away from the Holy Catholic Church that you established, who are so ungrateful for the great gift you have bestowed on us: your own self in the Most Holy Eucharist.

For the salvation of disaffected souls, for those who have turned away from the most Holy Eucharist

Catholica,

Not to worry. They are welcome at the Lords Table in my church. We see them every day. They are responding to Christs unconditional open invitation. Peace, JohnR

I don't worry, they are in God's hands, especially through my prayers and the prayers of others here.

BTW I Praise God for your presence on the forum today.

Thank you Lord for bringing us the company of JohnR, aka highrigger. Let us grow a closer bond in unity and truth. Bring us to a spirit of charity that best reflects that love which you showed to mankind through your Son Jesus, who was Truth incarnate. Please bless John in his day, and enkindle in him the saving fire of your love, to your greater glory. Amen.

And they are welcome in the Catholic Church, wherein the Lord is spiritually and PHYSICALLY present - not just symbolically as he is in your ecclesial community . . .

elvisman,

Back to the topic, 1 out of 10 Americans is an EX-Catholic. I meet them all the time..The real problem is most of them dont just go to another denomination. They become atheists, which shows their disgust with what they have been trught. Shame. Shame. Peace, JohnR

And they are welcome in the Catholic Church, wherein the Lord is spiritually and PHYSICALLY present - not just symbolically as he is in your ecclesial community . . .

elvisman,

Back to the topic, 1 out of 10 Americans is an EX-Catholic. I meet them all the time..The real problem is most of them dont just go to another denomination. They become atheists, which shows their disgust with what they have been trught. Shame. Shame. Peace, JohnR

Thats weird. I'm always hearing testimony of people coming to the Catholic Church not leaving. I guess God is on the rise hear in Indiana. I'll pray for the rest of you all's states.

And they are welcome in the Catholic Church, wherein the Lord is spiritually and PHYSICALLY present - not just symbolically as he is in your ecclesial community . . .

elvisman,

Back to the topic, 1 out of 10 Americans is an EX-Catholic. I meet them all the time..The real problem is most of them dont just go to another denomination. They become atheists, which shows their disgust with what they have been trught. Shame. Shame. Peace, JohnR

Nice anecdotal evidence, but likely if they are becoming atheist it is because they refuse to submit to God's moral law, or they are simply apathetic. Few Catholics leave because they are "disgusted". And if they are, its likely that they don't understand the faith that well.

The Catholic faith is exceedingly beautiful. Hard to live, but beautiful.

likely if they are becoming atheist it is because they refuse to submit to God's moral law

Or perhaps, in my case, they were eight year-olds who couldn't make sense of the Latin Mass. My whole family found it strange that God required us to worship him in a foreign language.

We left in 1970. We were active in the parish, and lots of people knew us, but no one seemed to miss us when we left. No one called or came by to visit. I found this strange, because up until this time, we were in each other's homes almost every week for a couple of decades (beginning before I was born).

Recently I visited the rectory, and told them my name. The secretary pulled out a dusty old ledger and, indeed, found all of our names in there as members in good standing. They don't know that both of my parents are dead, and my sister stopped believing in anything at all, after high school.

This is why I don't trust it when they claim 1 billion members. How many other dead people are they claiming as members? How many apostates who never said goodbye on their way out the door?

Or perhaps, in my case, they were eight year-olds who couldn't make sense of the Latin Mass. My whole family found it strange that God required us to worship him in a foreign language.

Seeing how you were eight I doubt you understood much of anything. However if your parents wanted to know they needed only to read a book. Its not like knowing the history of the Church they are affiliated with is such an outrageous thing to expect from people.

I know why Mass was in Latin and I don't even have kids. I guarantee you my children will understand why Mass used to only be in Latin.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge,

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We left in 1970. We were active in the parish, and lots of people knew us, but no one seemed to miss us when we left. No one called or came by to visit. I found this strange, because up until this time, we were in each other's homes almost every week for a couple of decades (beginning before I was born).

Quote

Recently I visited the rectory, and told them my name. The secretary pulled out a dusty old ledger and, indeed, found all of our names in there as members in good standing. They don't know that both of my parents are dead, and my sister stopped believing in anything at all, after high school.

This is why I don't trust it when they claim 1 billion members. How many other dead people are they claiming as members? How many apostates who never said goodbye on their way out the door?

I don't see how the administrative fallings of your former parish has anything to do with this thread or with what you quoted from Catholica but ok.

Actually we report just a little over a billion memebers. Of course admin is not air tight.I must say I find it kind of odd that your family was so active in your community and parish but when decided to leave never told anyone. You guys just up and left without talking to your priests about the doubts you were having about Catholicism and you didn't even bother to say goodbye? Kind of harsh. No wonder no one seemed to miss you. My family is as disfunctional as the Jackson 5 but even if I just left eventually my Dad would inquire about me.

likely if they are becoming atheist it is because they refuse to submit to God's moral law

Or perhaps, in my case, they were eight year-olds who couldn't make sense of the Latin Mass. My whole family found it strange that God required us to worship him in a foreign language.

We left in 1970. We were active in the parish, and lots of people knew us, but no one seemed to miss us when we left. No one called or came by to visit. I found this strange, because up until this time, we were in each other's homes almost every week for a couple of decades (beginning before I was born).

I find your story odd. Not odd that you left, but especially odd because you say that you left in 1970 because you couldn't understand the mass in Latin. In fact, 1970 was the year that mass started being said completely in English, with some parts of the Latin Mass being said in English starting in 1967. Are you sure it wasn't the other way around (for your parents), that it wasn't was that they left because the mass was changing and was going to be said in English? That would make far more sense, and that might describe why they stopped going to mass and no one noticed. There was likely a lot of backlash at that time against the English mass, and especially the big changes to it not counting English.

But still, I don't understand why you would have left in 1970, as that was the year English came out. I think there had to be more reason than that. Not that I think you are lying, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

Recently I visited the rectory, and told them my name. The secretary pulled out a dusty old ledger and, indeed, found all of our names in there as members in good standing. They don't know that both of my parents are dead, and my sister stopped believing in anything at all, after high school.

This is why I don't trust it when they claim 1 billion members. How many other dead people are they claiming as members? How many apostates who never said goodbye on their way out the door?

I don't think the Church uses baptismal records to count "members in good standing". There are several independent sources in the world that calculate these numbers as well, and they all come in the same ballpark.